


Snowy Kisses

by sunflower_crown



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Christmas, Fluff, Hide's grandparents, High School, I love them so much, M/M, Snow, i hope you do too, my first attempt at fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-28
Updated: 2014-12-28
Packaged: 2018-03-03 22:14:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2889836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunflower_crown/pseuds/sunflower_crown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kaneki spends Christmas at Hide's house this year</p>
            </blockquote>





	Snowy Kisses

**Author's Note:**

> This was my secret santa present to @dsoleil on tumblr this year! I hope they liked it! Also, a huge thank you to my beta, jam_jam, who stayed up really late working on this with me. Thanks so much Jambe <3

Kaneki sat in class, eyes gazing blankly at the whiteboard. It had been a long week, full of late night cram sessions, nowhere near enough sleep, and multiple cups of coffee. But now all of that was finally over; the last final had been taken and turned in. Looking around, he saw his classmates practically bouncing with anticipation as they watched the seconds tick by like hawks, paying absolutely no mind to the lecture that the teacher was trying to cram into the last ten minutes of school. Soon, they would all be rushing out of the school doors and into the sweet relief that was winter break.

However, Kaneki found it hard to share the same glee. In fact, the anxiety and stress was just beginning for him. It was his senior year, the most important year of his high school career. If he couldn't keep his spot at the top of the class, the consequences would be immense. It would be days before he heard the results of his finals, and although he was fairly certain his intense studying had paid off, the worry in the meantime would be a constant plague eating at his mind.

The bell rang and his peers were out the door before he was out of his seat. Soon enough, he had gathered his things and was out in the frosty December air. Watching his breath fog in front of him, he rubbed his hands together and tightened his coat around himself. He looked around, eyes lighting up when he spotted a particularly bright tuft of hair.

The person in question craned his head above the crowd, not spotting Kaneki for a moment. When he saw his quiet friend, he dodged his way quickly through the crowd and scooped him up into an overwhelming bear hug.

"Finally, its over!" Hide shouted, a look of utter exasperation on his face. "I swear, I thought I was going to dieee," he whined. Finally, he set Kaneki down and allowed him to breathe. "It's all thanks to you, though! If it weren't for your help, there's no way I would have passed," Hide said, squeezing his friend's shoulders.

"N-no it was nothing, really... I just showed you a few study guides and helped you out a little," Kaneki said with a blush, not used to this much praise.

"Nonsense! Those hours of studying weren’t just helping a little," Hide said with a playfully stern face, shaking his shoulders lightly.

"Yeah . . ." Kaneki said, eyes drifting off to the side.

"Hey, don't worry," Hide said, voice taking on a completely different tone. "I'm sure you did just fine."

"I sure hope so . . . " Kaneki trailed off, and he could feel his heartbeat start to speed, the anxiety returning. There was a beat of silence before Hide spoke.

"Hey, what are you doing for Christmas this year?" Hide asked, tone hopeful. Hide started off towards home and Kaneki followed.

"Umm, probably just the usual . . ."

What Hide didn't know was that "the usual" consisted of a small event that his aunt put on with a few presents exchanged. It was a mildly happy thing, excluding the fact that he was never invited. Hide was silent for a while, eyes on his feet as he kicked a loose pebble in his path.

"Well, what if you changed it up a bit this year?" he asked, eyes still down.

"What do you mean?" Kaneki asked, tilting his head.

"Well, I mean, why don't you spend it at my place?" Hide asked, looking at Kaneki out of the corner of his eye, judging his reaction.

"I-I couldn't possibly! I don't want to impose on your family!" Kaneki said, stumbling over his words. He didn't want to be a burden. This was a time for Hide to spend with his family, and he would never want to intrude.

"What are you talking about? You know my folks love you! They would be ecstatic!" Hide proclaimed confidently.

"Are you sure?" Kaneki asked uncertainly.

"Of course, knucklehead," Hide said warmly, reaching over to wrap one arm around Kaneki's head, rubbing the knuckles of his other hand into his scalp.

"Stop it, Hide!" Kaneki protested, struggling to get out of his grip.

"Fine, fine," Hide pouted, "but only if you promise to come."

"Okay, okay," Kaneki said in exasperation as Hide finally let go. He combed his fingers through his hair, trying to tame the mess Hide had made.

"Yes!" Hide cheered, pumping his fist into the air. "It's going to be so fun, just you wait!"

"Sure," Kaneki said with a soft chuckle. As they walked home, he could feel Hide's warm grin mirrored on his own face.

 

* * *

 

It didn't take much persuading to convince Kaneki's aunt to let him go, as she was more than happy to have him out of her hair for the day. Soon Kaneki had a scarf wrapped around his neck and was out the door.

It had snowed heavily the night before, and the town was blanketed in a foot of pristine snow. It was mid-morning, and the snowplows had cleared the streets, but the sleepy town was still silent. Kaneki looked up, watching a few lone snowflakes dance against a background of soft grey. He walked along, the crunch of ice under his boots the only sound to be heard.

As the house came into view, Kaneki couldn't help but smile. It was a modest home, small but comfortable. Hide had grown up with his grandparents, and they were the kindest people he had ever met. This was the home that they had raised Hide's mother in, built with love and patience. One year on a whim, Hide's grandmother had painted the house a soft yellow. She had said that she wanted her house "to display for everyone the warmth that was inside." It had acted like a beacon for Kaneki ever since he was little, and whenever it came into view he would unconsciously pick up his pace.

As he got closer to the light radiating from the small house, he spotted Hide outside, shoveling snow. Kaneki felt a smile spread across his face as Hide caught sight of him. He jogged up the cleared path, stopping by his friend.

"Glad you could make it, buddy," Hide said as he dropped his snow shovel and wrapped his friend in a tight hug.

"Of course," Kaneki said, returning the hug.

They separated and headed to the front door. They stepped out of their snow-covered boots before entering, Hide calling out to his grandparents as Kaneki hung his jacket up.

"Grandma! Guess who's here!" Hide called in the direction of the living room.

Kaneki could hear a rustling, and then both grandparents hobbled into view. Hide's grandfather gripped his cane tightly as his old bones protested. You might guess from the hard lines in his face and his cold glance that he was quite unfriendly, but once you got to know the man, everything changed. Kaneki was sure that he was the funniest man he had ever met, and would often spring witty jokes on you when you least expected it. Kaneki would often times find himself with a belly sore from laughter, a mischievous smirk plastered to the old man's face.

Hide's grandmother rested her hand daintily on the hand gripping the cane, her eyes crinkling with a kind smile when she caught sight of Kaneki. The lines around her eyes held a life's worth of smiles. She was a very kind and compassionate woman, but also quite clever. She was one to notice things, especially when it came to people. Every time things got rough at home, she would be there with a silent hug, without the need to tell her anything. She would just know.

Hide's grandmother let go of her husband's hand and shuffled over to give Kaneki a surprisingly strong hug for her age.

"Oh! How have you been, dearie? Its been so long since you last visited! I hope you've been doing okay! Have you been eating properly? You're skin and bones!" she rambled on, pulling back to look at his apparently too-skinny frame. "Oh, my! I think you've grown!" she cheered.

"O-oh, you think so?" Kaneki said, scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"What?" Hide interjected. "You better not be getting taller than me now, Kaneki," he said, standing on his tiptoes and looking down at his friend.

"I don't know, Hideyoshi," Hide's grandfather chimed in. "He may pass you one day," he said teasingly, lightly punching his grandson on the shoulder.

"What!?" Hide gasped, turning to Kaneki. "How could you betray me like this, Kaneki?" he said, mock hurt in his voice

"Need me to get the stretcher?" his grandfather whispered jokingly, poking Hide in the ribs.

"Grandpa!" Hide chastised him, shaking with laughter. "Keep your medieval torture devices in the basement. There's no need to expose Kaneki to your weird hobbies."

Hide's grandfather pouted in mock disappointment. They all shared a laugh and, after a moment, decided to move the conversation to the living room.

They sat around the Christmas tree, enjoying the soft warmth of the fireplace as they distributed and opened presents. There wasn't an abundance of packages, as Hide's grandparents could only afford a few. But they were content with what they had — they didn't need lots of expensive presents to make it a wonderful Christmas. Each other's company was enough to brighten the evening itself.

Kaneki sat back on the couch and watched the three open their gifts with a smile. He saw Hide get up, walking towards him with two gifts. He felt his eyes widen when Hide dropped them on his lap, plopping down on the couch next to him.

"Hide! You didn't need to get me anything!" Kaneki protested, feeling guilt clutch at his stomach. He wanted anything but to impose on Hide's family.

"Kaneki, don't be silly," Hide's grandmother chided from her seat.

"Of course we would get you presents, Kaneki," Hide said comfortingly. "You're just as much a part of this family as the rest of us."

Kaneki was speechless for a moment, too overwhelmed by the warm sensation rushing through his heart. Hide's eyes glowed with only compassion and hospitality, and looking around, he saw the same emotion reflected on his elders' faces.

"Thank you," Kaneki said quietly, ducking his head.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Hide said, and pushed a present towards him. "Open this one first! It's mine."

Kaneki tried to carefully remove the tape from the edges of the fragile paper, but there was such an excessive amount of tape that it was difficult. Kaneki smiled to himself, knowing Hide must have wrapped this. Finally giving into Hide's impatient demands, he quickly ripped the paper off of the small rectangle.

Underneath the festive paper he found two thick books, and he felt his heart fill with joy. He’d had his eye on these two for the last month, but didn't have the money to spare for them. He hadn't told Hide he wanted them, so how . . .

Kaneki let his thoughts drift off as he looked back up at Hide, seeing his barely hidden anticipation.

"So?" Hide prodded, his face unsure. "Do you like them?"

A delighted smile broke out across Kaneki's face. He clutched his new books tightly to his chest. "Of course I do, Hide. Thank you."

A blush exploded across Hide's face, and he looked away, scratching the back of his neck. "D-don't mention it," he mumbled.

Meanwhile, Grandma had gotten impatient. She got up and pushed the other box towards Kaneki, handing one of similar size to Hide. She instructed them to open their boxes together, and they did. Kaneki held up the sweater, a green turtleneck with penguins and snowflakes adorning it. He looked over to Hide to find a similar one in his hands, except the the penguins were replaced with teddy bears.

"So, do you like them?" Hide's grandmother asked innocently.

"G-grandma! I can't wear this!" Hide spluttered, his ears turning bright red.

"Well, why not?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"I'm seventeen, Grandma! I'm too old to wear stuff like this!" Hide protested.

"I think it would look good on you," Kaneki interjected. Kaneki was being completely honest. The sweater was well-made; it was obvious that his grandmother put a lot of effort into it. Besides, looking at the fuzzy bears, he could only think they suited Hide.

Before Kaneki could blink, Hide had the sweater on snug. Hide's grandmother raised her eyebrows before erupting into laughter. Hide complained, but she only waved him off, teasing him further.

They soon resumed exchanging presents, and a content atmosphere settled over them. Kaneki presented Hide with his gift of a brand new pair of orange headphones, which he had saved up for, and was nearly tackled to the ground. Hide gave him a massive bear hug and thanked him superfluously.

Afterwards, a late breakfast was served and they sat around the television to watch Sunday morning cartoons. Kaneki looked around with a smile on his face. It was so incredibly kind of them to spend time and money on presents for him, and he was extremely grateful. But honestly, just giving him a family to spend this day with was the best gift he'd gotten that day.

 

* * *

 

A few hours later, Hide suddenly sprung off the couch, looking out the window.

"Okay, I think its warm enough outside," he said to no one in particular. He then turned abruptly to Kaneki, tilting his head with a grin. "Well, are you coming?" he asked, extending his hand to Kaneki.

Kaneki's brows furrowed, but he took Hide's hand. Hide led him outside, stopping to grab his headphones, Kaneki's books, and two mugs of hot chocolate on the way.

The snow had stopped, and traces of blue could be seen through the clouds. Kaneki stepped out into the backyard and was astonished at what he saw. Hide let go of his hand and ran out into the snow to stand in front of the object.

"Do you like it?" Hide said anxiously.

It was an igloo. The backyard was nearly shoveled clean of snow, the structure in front of him taking it all. It must have taken him hours to do this.

"Hide, this is incredible!" Kaneki said, turning to Hide.

"Thanks! I had to get up at like three to make it" Hide said, chuckling embarrassedly to himself. "Go on! Check out the inside!" Hide insisted, prodding Kaneki in the side.

Kaneki crawled in the entrance and was quite amazed by what he saw. Hide had laid a tarp on the bottom, followed by a nest of various blankets and pillows. Embedded in the ceiling of the igloo were hundreds of christmas lights. It wasn't tall enough to stand up in, but you could still sit comfortably in it.

When Kaneki had curled up with the pillows, Hide followed him in and handed him his books and hot chocolate, which he accepted graciously. He took in the beautiful lights, clutching the warmth of the hot chocolate to his chest.

“What do you think?” Hide said softly, scooting into the pillows.

“It’s beautiful, Hide. Did you do this all for me?” Kaneki said, astonished.

“Of course, silly,” Hide said, thumping Kaneki’s head softly. “I’m glad you like it,” he said with a smile.

Kaneki opened his first book, Takatsuki Sen’s new novel. Getting comfortable, he snuggled into the inviting warmth of Hide’s side. Hide fit his headphones over his ears and leaned his head back, draping his arm comfortably over Kaneki’s shoulders. Although it was cold outside, soon their little shelter became a bubble of warmth, and they spent the day in cozy happiness.

 

* * *

 

After a few hours, Hide suddenly got up and crawled out of the cave. Disgruntled at the sudden loss of warmth, Kaneki further buried himself in the pillows and resumed his reading. After a moment, Kaneki heard Hide calling him. With a sigh and a pause to finish the sentence he was on, he crawled out of his nest.

Looking around, he was confused to see Hide nowhere in sight. He simply shrugged, turning around to return to his books and warmth.

Thump.

He felt an impact to the back of his head that made him stumble. Soon a cold wetness seeped down to his hairline and ran down his neck. He tucked his neck into his shoulders and shivered at the uncomfortable cold. Turning around slowly, he found Hide crouched behind a small mound of snow. Kaneki gave him his best death glare, and watched as Hide dropped his next snowball in fear. Without hesitation, Kaneki took a hunk of packed snow from the fort, flinging it at the threat.

Before Hide could protest the destruction of his beautiful creation, the fistfull of snow slammed him square in the face with surprising force. Hide quickly scrambled to regain his composure, but by then Kaneki was safely hidden.

Kaneki huddled behind the snow fort, frantically stockpiling ammunition. He had found a patch of untouched snow behind his fortress and was making the most of it. Over his many years of research, he had mastered the perfect technique of snowball making. Hide had crossed the line. Nothing could stop him now.

When he was thoroughly prepared, he risked a glance over the top of his fortress. He couldn’t see Hide, his own protective barrier too far off to see around. He needed a closer vantage point. Kaneki quickly scooped some snowballs into his arms and carefully stepped out from his shelter. He got about five steps before he heard a low chucking. Turning around, he saw Hide crouched on the ground, pressed up against his fortress.

That was when all hell broke loose. They pummelled each other with snowballs, diving for the remaining patches of snow when they ran out. They soon ran out of snow, and found themselves lying on their backs, gasping for air and occasionally flinging slushy leftovers at each other. Soon they gave up and just layed there. A giggle bubbled up from Kaneki’s chest and soon their stomachs hurt from laughter.

They were completely soaked from head to toe, and their fingers and toes felt frostbitten, but they couldn’t care less. Kaneki looked at Hide, and Hide flopped his head towards him. They smiled brightly at each other, simply enjoying each other’s company. A calm silence drifted over them. Hide’s face was dusted with a light pink from the cold, and his breath came out in little puffs. Without noticing it, their faces had become very close. All of a sudden, the pink in Hide’s cheeks became a dark red, and he immediately sat up. He stood up, dusting the snow off of himself. He reached a hand out to Kaneki but wouldn’t meet his eyes.

“Come on, we better get inside before you catch a cold,” Hide said quietly. Kaneki took Hide’s hand and walked into the house, where they got a thorough scolding from Hide’s grandmother. Kaneki just smiled and peeked at Hide out of the corner of his eye, just to see Hide doing the same.

 

* * *

 

They all sat down and had a wonderful meal. Hide’s grandmother was an amazing cook, and the dinner was absolutely delicious. Hide and his grandfather scarfed down the meal happily, while Hide’s grandmother insisted that Kaneki needed to eat more, despite his already protruding belly. When they were all far beyond satisfied, they lazily wandered to the couch, their full stomachs making them sleepy.

They spent the rest of the night sitting comfortably in the living room, watching television or playing card games. Hide's grandfather was nearly unbeatable, but his grandson still gave him a run for his money. Either way, they spent the night in the warm comfort of each other's company.

Soon it was late and Kaneki was collecting his things. Kaneki thanked them all profusely, but Hide's grandmother waved him off with a smile. They said their goodbyes and Kaneki hugged Hide's grandparents, thanking them again.

"Hey," Hide's grandmother said softly, putting a hand on Kaneki's shoulder. "Come back whenever you want, okay?" Her words were lighthearted, but there was a hint of concern in her eyes.

"Thank you, I will," he said, an ache in his heart.

Hide grabbed some gloves and walked Kaneki out. They walked along in comfortable silence, the cold night air turning their noses red. Kaneki buried his hands in his pockets, searching for some extra warmth. Hide looked over, and for a moment it seemed like he was about to say something, but they had reached their destination.

The familiar light pole and bench that marked midway between their houses stood beside them. This was their usual meeting place, and each had spent much time over the years sitting on this bench, waiting for the other to arrive.

"Thank you, Hide," Kaneki said, turning to his friend. "That was really kind of you to invite me." A soft smile stretched across his face.

"What are you talking about? I did barely anything," Hide said chuckling.

Kaneki didn't respond, only smiled. Hide had no idea just how much this day meant to him. Normally he would have been spending the holiday alone in his room. Hide was always so kind to him, always there when he needed it most.

"Okay, well, um, I guess I'll see you soon?" Kaneki said, breaking the silence.

"Oh, of course!" Hide smiled, but his face fell a degree.

Kaneki's brows knitted together, but he didn't say anything.

"Well, goodbye Hide," Kaneki said with a smile.

"Yeah," Hide said, eyes downcast for a moment before suddenly perking up. "Yeah, I'll see you soon!" Hide said as he walked off with a wave.

Kaneki turned and walked down the familiar path home smiling to himself. Before he realized it, he was smiling to himself, and even humming. Today had been such a great day. He was happier than he had been in a long time. He walked along, his grades and previous worries far from his mind.

"Kaneki! Wait up!" he heard a familiar voice shout. Before he could turn around, a hand grabbed his wrist tightly.

He turned around, shock crossing his face as he saw Hide standing in front of him. Hide was hunched over, one hand on his knee as he tried to catch his breath. He must have sprinted the whole way here, and in this cold nonetheless.

When he had finally regained his composure, Hide heaved a sigh and straightened up, looking Kaneki directly in the eye.

"Kaneki, I'm sorry," Hide said with a glint in his eyes.

"Huh? What for?" Kaneki asked, tilting his head to the side.

"I forgot to wish you 'Merry Christmas'," Hide said with a chuckle.

Confusion swept through Kaneki as Hide stepped forward, closing the distance between them. Suddenly a pair of lips landed softly on his own. The lips were slightly chapped, but sent a flare of warmth through his body. Kaneki was too stunned to close his eyes, and soon the kiss was over.

Hide backed up and looked away, but his hand was still securely latched onto Kaneki's wrist. His face had gone completely tomato red, and he looked at Kaneki out of the corner of his eye.

Kaneki was not faring much better. He simply stared frozenly at Hide, his mouth slack. Then, ever so slowly, he raised his fingertips to his lips.

"K-kaneki, are you okay?" Hide said worriedly. His arm twitched forward for a second, but he pulled it back. He knew he needed to give Kaneki his space.

Suddenly, Kaneki's face matched the bright red of Hide's. He instantly covered his face in his hands to try to hide his embarrassment. He was so happy that he felt like he could scream.

"Kaneki," Hide called. He stepped forward, hands stretched out to comfort his friend.

Kaneki simply raised a finger, telling Hide to give him a moment to regain his composure. Hide waited patiently.

When he was ready, he removed his hands and cast his eyes to his feet. The warmth started a giggle, and soon he couldn't stop. He looked up at Hide to find a bright light in his eyes, and soon he was laughing right along side him. The night was cold, but they could no longer feel the chill of it.

"Seeya, Kaneki," Hide said with a wide grin.

"Bye, Hide," Kaneki said, eyes crinkling.

"Hey," Hide said, pausing. "Would you, um, like to come back next year maybe?" Hide asked, scratching the back of his neck uncertainly.

"If you'll have me," Kaneki said, watching Hide's eyes light up. They said their goodbyes and each went their separate ways.

Kaneki turned back towards his house once more. He felt like he was walking on clouds as elation coursed through him. He buried his neck in his new sweater, that same warmth still flowing through him.

Once he turned the corner, he heard loud whooping and hollering coming from a very familiar voice. Kaneki blushed and smiled, glancing back for a moment before carrying on.

 

* * *

 

Hide's grandmother was sitting in her chair, knitting, when she heard a mad stomping outside the front door. She looked up just in time to see Hide rush through the door, a wild grin on his face.

"So, when's the date?" she called from her spot.

"Grandma!" he yelled, face bright red as he rushed into his room and slammed the door shut.

She stared after him for a moment before returning to her work, chuckling and shaking her head.

"I knew it."


End file.
